Pat Cummins turns 30: A look at top-five Test spells

MELBOURNE: Australia fast bowler and skipper in Tests and ODIs, Pat Cummins turned 30 on Monday.

Since his stunning 6/79 on his international debut against South Africa in a Test match, the stature of this right-arm pacer has grown with each passing year and turned im into one of the most fearsome quicks in the game.

Pat Cummins can generate extra bounce off the deck, he can get the ball to move in the air and off the pitch as well.

For years, he has served as one of Australia's pace quartet consisting of Josh Hazlewood, James Pattinson and Mitchell Starc, which has wreaked havoc on batters across the world.

Cummins has featured in 49 Tests, 75 ODIs and 50 T20Is for India.

While he has scalped 217 wickets in Test match cricket, he has also taken 124 scalps in in the ODI format and 55 in T20Is as well.

Let's have a look at his top five spells:

1) 6/23 against Sri Lanka (in January 2019):

In the first Test, Lankan Lions danced to the lines and lengths of brutal Australian pace at Brisbane. Cummins shined with 4/39 in the first innings as Sri Lanka was bundled out for 144. In reply, Australia secured a 179-run lead by scoring 323 in their first innings. In Sri Lanka second innings, Cummins out did himself to register his best ever Test figures. The visitors were bundled out for 139 and slumped to an innings and 40 run defeat. Cummins's 10-wicket haul earned him the 'Player of the Match' award.

2) 6/27 vs India (in December 2018):

At the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Cummins destroyed the Indian batting lineup. India batted first and posted a total of 443 on the board. In reply, the Aussies were bowled out for a total of just 151. And in the second innings, it was the 'Pat Cummins' show with the ball. The Australian speedster picked up 6 wickets, giving away just 27 runs, as India declared their 2nd innings with their scorecard reading 106/8. Australia were bowled out for a total of 261 in their second innings and lost the match by 137 runs.

3) 6/79 vs South Africa (in September 2011):

In a pulsating encounter between Australia and South Africa at Johannesburg in 2011, the Kangaroos came out on top. South Africa batted first and posted a total of 266 on the board. In reply, the Australians performed marginally better and scored 296, taking a 30-run lead. In the second innings, a then 18-year-old Pat Cummins wreaked havoc with the ball and scalped 6 wickets, giving away 79 runs. Australia were set a target of 310 for victory, and they went past the finish line with 2 wickets to spare. Cummins also scored the winning runs.

4) 5/28 vs New Zealand (in December 2019):

In the encounter against New Zealand at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia batted first and posted a total of 467 on the board. In reply, the New Zealand side was bowled out for just 148, as they were rendered helpless by a devastating spell of bowling from Pat Cummins. The right-arm pacer scalped 5 wickets and gave away just 28 runs in the process. In their second innings, Australia declared at 168/5, setting a target of 487 for Kiwis. The visitors fell way short, losing the match by 247 runs.

5) 5/83 vs South Africa (April 2018):

The Proteas posted a total of 488 on the board in their first innings at Sydney Cricket ground, Cummins was the star performer, picking up 5 wickets, and giving away just 83 runs. However, there was not much to celebrate for the Aussies, as they lost the match by a massive 492 runs.